1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to portable storage apparatus, and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to emergency medical apparatus.
2. Prior Art
The efficency at which medical aid is rendered to an accident victim can, without a doubt, affect the resulting condition of the injured person. Sometimes minutes, or even seconds, may determine whether an accident will cause temporary or permanent injury to its victim. The matter of life or death may even depend upon the ability, or the inability, of medical personnel to treat a serious injury immediately, and in a professionnal manner.
An injured person is generally taken to a clinic or a hospital emergency room when a serious accident occurs. If this is not possible, a group of medical personnel is usually dispatched to the accident location via a motor vehicle equipped with medical supplies. However, in some instances, the injured person may be remotely located from an emergency room in an area that is inaccessible via a motor vehicle. If this is the case, the medical personnel may have to travel on foot to reach the accident victim. Since the injured person may require immediate attention, it would be desirable to carry at least some general purpose medical supplies, such as bandages and pain reducers, to the accident location. As a result, the victim could, at least, be rendered first aid until moved to a proper treatment facility.
One major problem may arise by taking only first aid equipment to the accident location. If the injured person is in a critical condition, first aid supplies may provide little, if any, effective treatment. Therefore, it would be more than desirable to have a complete assortment of emergency medical supplies and equipment, assembled in a portable fashion, in the form of an "emergency medical kit", for example. A medical doctor, a paramedic, or any comparably trained person, would thereby be enabled to perform emergency surgery or life-saving treatment upon an accident victim at virtually any geographical location.
The familiar back pack, commonly used for hiking and camping, does indeed provide a portable apparatus which would serve fairly well for the transport of most any type of articles, medical equipment and supplies included. An example of such a back pack is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,764,327, issued to R. T. Stevenson. However, most commercially available back packs are constructed to hold camping equipment, or the like, and not medical equipment. Many articles utilized in the treatment of accident victims are in the form of small precision instruments, or are retained in breakable containers. Some loss of, and damage to, the medical equipment and supplies would likely result if a conventional back pack was utilized as an "emergency medical kit".